Here's a piece of short fiction I wrote about 12 years ago. Enjoy.

Sam stepped into his truck as the sun was setting. The "Destination Delaware" sticker was still firmly in place on the dash, right where Kate had placed it, almost 47 years ago. Faded with time, much like Sam, the sticker stood for the happiness the old man once knew. Although his destination was not Delaware, he was returning to a place that he could call home. As a child, Sam stood on the beaches of Assateague Island, Virginia, his already blond hair bleached by the sun. There he fell in love with the ocean. His ears were no longer in perfect working order and his sight may be faced, but he needs neither of these of plot his way to the islands. As Sam drives down Interstate 95, he remembers the tides, hoping to find a chart soon after he reaches Chincoteague.

It was almost two am July twenty-sixth, and Sam decided to pull over for a spell to gain a little energy. After locking both doors at the rest station, he felt more at ease and was able to fall asleep. When he woke an hour later, he found Kate, leaning against him. He was startled at first, but she began to talk and calm his heart.

"It's been so long, Sam. Can you still count the years?" she asked. She was as beautiful as when he last laid eyes on her.

"I can count the days. And I remember every lonely minute without you. You left me so alone, alone to take care of her, and you knew I wasn't strong enough. Why Kate? Why did you leave us?" The pain came through his eyes as if it were yesterday that his young wife had been taken away in death and he began to cry.

"Oh, Samuel, you can't blame me. There's nothing I wanted more than to grow old with you. And you managed just fine, look how wonderful little Kathryn turned out. How is she?"

"In college, she's a senior and probably going for her masters. English, she wants to be a writer like you always dreamed. She's so much like you... I'm going back there you know, to where we met. Moving actually, for good. It's time I retired and that's where I'm happy. So many nice memories around me," he looked up toward her, but she was already gone.

"You never did let me have my say," he chuckled, "I love you, Kate."

*********

He started his truck then and decided it was time to get something to eat. The sign said there was a McDonalds only two miles down the road and he began to crave a Big Mac. A few minutes later, he pulled into the drive-thru window and ordered in a voice charred by Swisher Sweets.

The sun was rising as Sam pulled up to the Warden station on Assateague Island. He stepped out of his truck and took a deep breath.

"Oh," he said, "this is the best place on earth to be."

Something came across the wind then, a foul stench, like rotting flesh. He walked over the dunes to the beach and saw the glistening sand and the reflection of the sun against the waves. Sam looked down the beach and then he saw it, a dead pony, one of those that used to run free on that very beach. The piping plovers were daintily gathered around her, chatting about what had happened. Sam turned to see a group of men coming along the beach, they had the appearance of hunters. There was a sign there he had not noticed before, it read: SWIMMERS BEWARE! HUNTING HOURS ARE 5 am TO 9 am DAILY. CAUTION!

"How dare they?" he thought out loud. This was his paradise and now it was ruined, ruined by men. Sam knew he couldn't stay here, he would have to move on. Where could he go that would make his as happy as this place, or the way it used to be? A ten hour trip for nothing. He couldn't go home, he had to move on. Maybe he would find a place that he could call home again. this beach wasn't good enough, not for Kate, not anymore.

He got back into his truck and sat for a minute, deciding what to do, where to go. The quiet resolve that was normally seen behind his eyes was gone. Same was at a loss. The map he used to make it here was no longer open to Virginia. The page had fallen at Puerto Rico, the little island south of the U. S. He heard Kate's voice.

"It's a sign, " she whispered. She was always saying that sort of thing.

"Oh, Puerto Rico sounds nice, maybe I will go there. What do you think, Kate? Isn't it far?" he said, not expecting an answer.

"Go there, I will see you there, I'm sure. That's where you need to be, GO," she said, Sam still did not see her.

"Oh, okay, I'll go. But how will I get there and if I live on an island, I'll want to get a horse. A fine horse. Maybe I can take him on a shrimp boat? Shrimp boats have always fascinated me, could I take one of those? I'll drive down to Alabama, I can catch one there. Alabama ...I wonder if I will see the Snake Bite Keys? Do you remember those Jimmy Buffett stories? They were great. I wonder if I can find that Jolly Mon Song tape, it must be in here somewhere..."

His withered hands looked diligently for the old cassette as if he just shed fifty years. They found nothing in the door pouches, then looked again in the glove box.

"Here it is! Feeding Frenzy. Hey look, it's A1A. There should be one more, yep. Songs you know by heart. Wow, I haven't heard these since ... hmmm, I can't remember when," he was so wrapped up in finding his lost treasures that he didn't realize Kate was already gone. "Do you remember that time when we were coming home from Ocean City, the Friday after we met? I was so off key and you never failed to remind me! What about that sticker? I can remember your exact words when you placed it on the dash. 'Keep in there forever,' you said, 'Don't ever move it.' Ha, we were so young, so childish, yet it meant so much...oh, you're gone. Well some things just need to be said."

Sam looked at the map again, the page was still marked. He wondered which route he would take. Mapping out the way he would go, Sam thought about getting a horse. She would be black, all black, that would be lovely. Oddly enough, the horse on the beach was black, she was beautiful. He wished he got there ten minutes earlier. Sam put his A1A tape in and started the truck. The melody of "Tin Cup Chalice" filled the cab and he began to sing along. He drove through the little island of Chincoteague and stopped at the ATM. In 200 dollar intervals, Sam withdrew most of his life savings. He counted his money and was ready to go. It was still early, close to 8 am, when he got back onto I95. There wasn't much of a rush hour in rural Virginia and Sam reached North Carolina in a few hours. When he stopped to eat, he realized that it might not be safe to carry $15,000 around. So, he place all but 1000 dollars inside his upholstered passengers seat. There was a small zipper, maybe two inches long, on the side of the seat closest to him. No one saw him do it, his money was safe.

The thrill of leaving the country urged him to drive, but the monotony of North Carolina finally bored him. It was time to take a rest, even though the next rest station wasn't for another seventy-two miles. Sam knew he couldn't make it. He had to stop and he did, right there on the side of the road. He saw trucks do it all the time. He slept lightly but anything helped. A bright light glaring in his eyes work Sam up. He thought it was the police.

"Déme todo tu plata, AHORA," he heard as a gun was shoved into the window.

A blank look came across Sam's face while the man repeated the phrase. Sam was so groggy, he just shook his head, as if hoping to clear the man out of it. The man held up a dollar bill and repeated himself a third time. Finally Sam understood and pulled out his wallet.

"Salga del coche," the man told him, pointing to the road defensively. Sam stepped out of his truck and handed the man his money. It was almost a thousand dollars. The man climbed into the truck and Sam's brain finally turned on. How would he go South with out his truck or the money zipped into his seat? He pulled the man out of the cab and shoved him toward moving traffic on I95. The thief cocked his gun and took a shot at Sam. Missing, he tried to shoot again but the gun was empty. He threw it and even though Sam dodged it, the barrel came across his shoulder and the pain shot through his arm. Kneeling under the pain, the man took his chance to run. Sam let him go. He was in terrible pain and he climbed into his truck. He thought about his losses, a thousand dollars. He saved his truck, his life and most of his money. The horse, shrimp boat and Puerto Rico all seemed a long way off.

*********

Cody stomped noisily on the dock, impatient to leave. Captain Clyde Stephens was waiting near the boat calling to the first mate.

"Tonyyyyyy, bring up the rest of the crew, we have a new member. He wants to meet ya'll," his voice was thick and southern.

The crew clambered up the stairs, anxious to see who was joining up. They had no problem with new ones...as long as they knew their place.

"Men, this here is Mr. Sam Dobkin. His horse and him wants to go to the islands with us. I figure, what the hell, if they helps out, there ain't no problem with it. The horse's name is Cody, he can stay on deck until he gets used to our lady, the ocean. Ain't no use in telling you the crews names, you'll learn em in time. Come aboard."

"Hi Everyone," Sam said, "Glad to be aboard. Thanks so much. Can't know how much it means."

Tony spoke up for the rest of the guys and said, "Glad to have you aboard, Sam. Hope you'll stay on a while and give us a hand. Anything seaworthy you know how to do?"

"I love maps?"

"Well, there's plenty to do with navigating. Capn Stephens does most of it. You might help him out. He'd appreciate it."

So, navigating it was. After his first lesson in chart reading, Sam was hooked. He learned how to grid a position, to find shrimp, it was all exciting. Lookout was nice too, he was like a schoolboy learning new things about the sea. The days he did lookout, Tony was there to talk to. The first mate and he got to be great friends, talking for hours at a time. They discussed high school, what sports they played in college, and Kate. The story of their love fascinated Tony. If only he had a story like it, but his life belonged to the sea, heart and soul.

Things were going great with Cody too. He liked the boat and got used to it quickly. The crew wasn't too sure of him at first, but they really enjoyed having him on board after a while. Sam started to feel as if he finally belonged among the crew. Late at night when they ate dinner, the talking never seemed to stop. He found himself us to the wee hours of the morning, hearing stories about the sea. He had so much to learn. The islands were fast approaching and Sam had a decision to make. Should he stay on board, or do what he came to, find a boat to Puerto Rico?

Sam and Tony lead Cody down the dock, heading toward the beach. It was mid-afternoon and they had just arrived to port. The island was quiet with afternoon siesta. One step on solid ground and Sam knew that Saba was the place for him. The small island had only one thousand inhabitants, much like his hometown in New York. He began to discuss plans with Tony and a woman approached them. At closer glance, Sam could see that it was Kate, yet before he could shout out to her, Tony spoke first.

"Hi Katie, How are you? I didn't expect the welcome wagon until we got Sam settled." he laughed, "Sam, this is my good friend Katie. She's an expat. I told her about you coming down to the islands. Katie graciously offered to help you out."

"Nice to meet you Sam, " Kate said, flashing him a knowing smile, "So glad you could come."